Organic electroluminescent elements have been the subject of a great deal of research and development because they emit very bright light at a low voltage drive. An organic electroluminescent element is such that there is an organic layer between a pair of electrodes, electrons injected from the cathode and holes injected from the anode are rebonded at the organic layer, and the exciton energy thus generated is utilized to emit light.
One of the main problems with the practical application of organic electroluminescent elements is increasing their durability. In particular, blue light-emitting elements that give blue color generally have low heat-resistance durability. Elements which use an anthracene derivative or another such condensed aromatic hydrocarbon compound as the host material have been studied for the purpose of increasing the durability of a light-emitting element.
Organic electroluminescent elements in which an anthracene derivative or another condensed aromatic hydrocarbon compound is used as a host are proposed in Patent Documents 1 to 3. Blue organic electroluminescent elements in which an anthracene derivative is used as a host are proposed in Patent Documents 4 and 5.